Switch for store-service apparatus



(No Model.)

B. N. DYER.

SWITCH FOR STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 381,495. Patented Apr. 17, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD N. DYER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SWITCH FOR STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 381,495, dated April 17,1888.

Application filed June .29, 1887.

To aZZ 1072,0171, it 77mg concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD N. DYER, of East Orange, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is aspecificatlOn.

The object I have in view is to produce a simple and eflieient means forswitching the carriers of store-service apparatus from the way tostations at different points on the way, or from such stations back tothe way. My switching device is one without moving parts which exercisesa selective action, directing the wheeled carriers to the stations forwhich they are intended, and permitting other carriers, designed totravel to more distant stations, to pass the switching devices at theintermediate stations. At the same time the center of gravity of thecarriers is not disturbed by the switches. The devices have theadditional feature of increasing the power of the carriers (when theycarry their own propellingpower) at the switches, so that they cansurmount the switches without difficulty.

In carrying out my invention I break the way at each switching-point anddeflect that end of the way approaching the break laterally to thestation. The carriers for succeed ing stations are carried over thebreak by two parallel bridge-plates which are located at the sides ofthe way at such a distance apart that the carrier for the particularstation passes between the bridge-plates and then under one of themlaterally,while carriers for succeeding stations have wheels whichengage the bridgeplates and support the carriers until the main wheelstrikes the way on the other side of the break. To permit the wheeledcarrier intended for the particular station to pass under onebridge-plate, the way inclines downwardly before being deflectedlaterally, or the bridgepl ates are arched above the break, or theclearance may be formed partly by arching the bridge-plates and partlyby depressing the way. The carriers are constructed to hang down on oneside only of the way, with the arm for attaching the receptacle to at apoint sufficiently low to pass under and clear the laterally-deflectedway. The switching-wheels are smaller than the main wheel or wheels, togive an increase of power in passing over the Serial No. 242,818. (Nomodel.)

bridge-plates. These switching-wheels may be on the same shaft as themain wheel or wheels, or on a separate shaft extending across the top ofthe carrier-frame. The former arrangement I prefer when the carrier hasits own motor. The space between the bridgeplates will be greater forevery succeeding station,while the switehing-wheels on the car rierswill be a greater or less distance apart, according to the stations theyare designed to run to. The carrier for the first station will have noswitching-wheels. That for the sec ond station will haveswitching-wheels located at such a distance apart that they will engagethe bridge-plates at the first station, but will pass between thebridge-plates at the second station, and so on for the carriers forsucceeding stations.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is aperspective view showing one of the switches; Fig. 2, a top viewillustrating the switches for three stations. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are endviews of the bridgeplates for the switches at the first, second, andthird stations,showin g upon such bridge-plates the carriers for thesecond, third, and fourth stations. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are sideelevations of three arrangements of the bridge-plates and way; and Fig.9, an end view of a carrier, showing the switching-wheels on a shaftother than that of the main wheel.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

The way is a track composed of stretched wire, strips of sheet metal, orother material suitably supported from one side, as will be wellunderstood, so that wheeled carriers having frames hanging down on oneside of the way can travel thereon. The way is not continuous, but isbroken at intervals where it is desired to have stations. The wayillustrated is one having four sales-stations, besides the end stationat the cashiers desk, the three sales-stations intermediate between thecashiers desk and the sales-station at the other end of the way beingprovided with the switching devices. These three intermediatesales-stations are located at the points A, B, and O. The first section,D, of the way extends from the oashiers desk to the break a in the way,where it is deflected laterally to the station A. The second section, E,of the'way starts straight ICC from the break a and extends to the breakI), where it is deflected laterally to the station B. The third section,F, extends from the break I) to the break 0, and is there deflectedlaterally to the station 0. The fourth section, G, extends from thebreak 0 to the terminal salesst-ation. At the sides of the breaks a b care arranged the sets of parallel bridge-plates A A, B B, and 0 C Theplates B B are separated by a space wider than thatwhich separates theplates A A nd' the ;plates O C have a greater width of separation thanthe plates B B. These bridge-plates "preferably have ribs orcorrugations d, or other raised or depressed portions, forming tracks.The plates A A have each three of such tracks. Plates B B have each twoof such tracks, and plates In other words,

O 0 each one of such tracks. the succeeding sets of bridge-plates haveprogressively one pair of tracks less and an additional width ofseparation equal to a pair of tracks. The carriers have each one or moremain wheels, 6, traveling on the way and supporting a frame, f, whichhangs down on one side only of the way, and supports a basket, 9,cash-box, or other receptacle. The shaft of the main wheel 6 of eachcarrier is extended through the sides of the frame f and carries on itsends two small switching-wheels, h h, designed to tread on the tracks ofthe bridgeplates. The carrier (not shown) for station A has noswitching-wheels, and hence this carrier is not lifted over the break a.The carrier H for station B has its switching-wheels close to the framef. The switching-wheels of this carrier engage the ribs at the inneredges of the bridge-plates A A but are not far enough apart to catch thebridge-plates B'- B. The carrier H for station (3 has itsswitchingwheels farther apart than those of the carrier H. Theswitching-wheels of this carrier engage the second set of ribs of theplates A A and the first set of ribs of the plates B B, but fail tocatch the plates 0 G The carrier H for the terminal sales-station hasits switching wheels still farther apart. They engage the third set ofribs of the plates A A, the second set of ribs of the plates B B, andthe first set of ribs of the plates 0 C. To give the proper clearance topermit the carriers to pass under the bridge-plates, the ends of the wayare depressed before being deflected laterally, as shown in Fig. 6, orthe bridge-plates may be arched, Fig. 7, or both plansmay be combined,Fig. 8.

Instead of having the switching-wheels on the same shaft with the mainwheels, they may be mounted on a separate shaft located at the top ofthe carrier-frame, Fig. 9. With this arrangement of the switching wheelsthe bridge-plates would necessarily be more elevated above the way.

The carriers can be switched onto the way from the sales-stations andreturned from the sales-stations over the same way, or a separatereturn-way can be employed having similar switching devices.

What I claim is 1. In store-service apparatus, the combination of a wayhaving one or more breaks in its continuity, wheeled carriers travelingon such way, and bridge-plates for supporting carriers over the breaks,substantially as set forth.

2. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with a way having one ormore breaks ing on such way, of bridge-plates at such breaks and extraswitching-wheels on the carriers engaging such bridge-platesselectively, substantially as set forth.

3. In store service apparatus, the combination, with a way having one ormore breaks in its continuity and wheeled carriers travel ing on suchway, of a set of parallel bridgeplates at each break and extraswitchingwheels on both sides of the carriers engaging suchbridge-plates selectively, substantially as set forth.

4. In store-service apparatus, the combination', with a way having oneor more breaks in its continuity and wheeled carriers traveling on suchway, of bridge plates at such breaks and extra switching-wheels on thecan riers engaging such bridge-plates selectively and of smallerdiameter than the main wheels of the carriers, substantially as setforth.

5. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with a way having one ormore breaks in its continuity and wheeled carriers traveling on suchway, of bridge plates at such breaks and extra switching-wheels on thecarriers engaging such bridge-plates selectively and mounted on the sameshafts as the main wheels of the carriers, substantially as set forth.

6. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with away having one ormore breaks in its continuity and wheeled carriers traveling on suchway, provided with extra switching-wheels located at different distancesapart for the different carriers, of a set of parallel bridge-plates ateach break, the bridge-plates at the several breaks being separated byspaces of different width, substantially as set forth. I

7. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with a way having one ormore breaks in its continuity, the ends of the sections approaching thebreaks being deflected laterally, of sets of parallel bridge-plates atthe breaks having different widths of separation and Wheeled carriersprovided with extra switching-wheels engaging the bridge-plates andlocated at different distances apart, so as to act selectively with thebridge-plates, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 28th day of June, 1887.

RICHARD N. DYER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM PELZER, E. O. ROWLAND.

in its continuity and wheeled carriers trave'l-

